Manes Long or Short

[jegray21]

If showing in dressage and pleasure shows does it matter if the mane is long and braided or short and braided like the large horses the button braids? Feelings on mane length please ; )

 

[Champ]

My minis mane is long so when I drive him in CDE's or ADT's I french braid it.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

If the horse will never be doing breed shows you can roach the mane or pull it and do hunter braids. Breanna Sheahan does that with both her mares and it does look very fancy, but I about cried when she shortened Peekaboo's lovely sleek bi-colored locks.

If you do show in registry shows it is illegal to roach and although pulling isn't technically against the rules and people shorten and thin the mane all sorts of ways for halter, you have to remember that you aren't allowed to braid so that pulled mane is going to be fluffing out all over the place and looking distinctly INelegant when you drive. I personally prefer to leave it long but I also come from an Arab horse background so I'm used to long manes and French Braiding.

In the end I'd say do what looks best on your horse. If he's refined, has a nice neck and you're experienced with pulling then show it off for CDE with hunter braids. If he's a little lacking in that area (thick, chunky, currently upside down or showing other problems) then I'd keep a full mane and braid it neatly to minimize the problem.

Leia

 

[Shari]

I roached Maggie's Mega mane last summer. Would take me two hours to wash it and a pain when I wanted to drive her in cart. You know...it is growing on me, kind'a like it.

I used to do a roll on Maggie but her mane is so long and sooo heavy.. was pulling her crest over. No..she is not over weight. And it would take forever to do properly.. made the Andy's Manes and Tails I used to work on seem thin!

Few days ago.. had a heavy frost.

In Harness

 

[Margo_C-T]

My newest, B sized, miniature gelding came to me roached, and I'm keeping him that way. It is clear he has a HEAVY mane, and I just don't want to have to deal with it! He is (gasp!) unregistered, so breed shows are no issue, and honestly, were I to be able to enter a 'real' CDE(there are none within many miles, and I am not really free to travel), I would do it with him just as he is...roached, but with a forelock and witherlock--the way he came, and the way I was used to; when I was young, it was common for QHs, which is what I had then, to be roached, and I actually like it on many horses. Sure is simpler, too!

As for the mini breed registries, I'm not sure it is "illegal" to have a horse roached, but would concede that judges might have apoplexy if you presented one as such---and most would likely use that as a 'reason' not to use such a horse (although when you have a 'bridle path' that goes 2/3 of the way down a horse's neck, as I've (amazingly!)seen, you are darn near 'there', anyway, so ????) Admittedly, I have NOT perused either AMHA or AMHR's current Rulebooks(and am not going to take the time to do so here and now) as to whether this is SPECIFICALLY addressed, but I don't recall that it is...??)

Margo

 

[RhineStone]

I just looked at the rule book the other night for both AMHA/R and horses are to be shown in Full Mane and Tail. It is too bad, as Alax's mane is fuzzy and he looks SO much better with his nice running French braid that we use for the ADS shows. I like to use Shapley's Mane Mousse to make his mane more "sticky" before I braid it.

The unwritten rule for ADS Pleasure Shows and CDEs is that the mane should not detract from the turnout. If the mane looks unkept, especially fluttering in the breeze at a Strong Trot, do something to contain it: braiding, banding, roaching, thinning and gooping, etc. When everyone found out that John Greenall was judging at Villa in 2008, there were very few unbraided manes, as he can't stand fuzzy, fluttering manes. Of course, tails are always left unbraided, but there are people that bang the tails.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

As for the mini breed registries, I'm not sure it is "illegal" to have a horse roached, but would concede that judges might have apoplexy if you presented one as such---

I thought the same about having the mane pulled (that the judges would freak) so I checked the rulebook before posting. On page 250 -and several other places- of the AMHR rulebook:

"Horse shall show with full mane and tail (no full

roach). Mane and tail length shall be left to the

decision and discretion of the exhibitor. Thinning,

pulling, shortening, etc., of a mane and tail is

permissible."

So I found that I was wrong and pulling is specifically allowed but a full roach is against the rules. I still think the judges would freak.

Leia

 

[Shari]

Margo, I am glad I am not the only one.

Maggie's Mane in the center, was down to the tops of her knees and her forelock was at the end of her muzzle and she hates.. I really means hate pulling to thin it out. She doesn't mind the buzz cut though.

You mean Leia.. if I want to shock the judges... I should have buzz cut Maggie go to a show. LOL

 

[jegray21]

Thanks for the talk...Mine are long at the moment and we did breed shows last year. Though I thought I had it flat enough there were still some who thought it was too "fluffy" I do like the hunter braids but am not sure if I want to skip out on breed shows or not. although all of mine look so much better with it short and pulled nice. I am used to Friesians and always kept his mane long...wow so much work!

 

[ClickMini]

Ally, pulled mane and button braids, banged tail:

with a full mane:

I personally love the button braids on Ally. I only show her in combined driving, so it is not a problem to be "different" than the norm. I show Flirt and Esprit in breed shows as well, so I will probably leave them longer.

I wish we were allowed to braid for breed shows.

 

[jegray21]

Her neck looks so nice with the button braids...I wish they could show button at breed shows..but i do understand why not...the Friesian people would freak! If I cut Ike's mane. Thanks for the images!